Newly-elected Bury St Edmunds Labour MP Peter Prinsley has pledged to keep up the pressure for new hospitals across the region.

New Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves is due to give a statement on Monday afternoon after it emerged that there was a £20bn "black hole" in government funding from the last government.

Weekend reports suggested that Ms Reeves may have to delay or even cancel some major public investment projects.

Road schemes, including the Lower Thames Crossing in South Essex, are believed to be under threat and doubts have also been raised about the previous government's pledge to build 40 new hospitals by 2030. 

The West Suffolk Hospital is one of the 40 along with the James Paget at Gorleston and the Queen Elizabeth Hospital at Kings Lynn.

All are literally crumbling and their roofs are held up by metal props.

Mr Prinsley is a consultant Ear Nose and Throat surgeon working at the James Paget - and has made getting new hospital buildings his number one priority.

In his maiden speech earlier this month he said: "Many of our hospitals are indeed in poor repair and we have seen very little progress on the 40 new hospitals famously promised by the last Government.

"In Bury St Edmunds, we urgently need to confirm the capital funding to progress the replacement of the West Suffolk hospital which, like my own James Paget university hospital in Great Yarmouth and our sister hospital in King’s Lynn, is supported by thousands of scaffolding poles and is literally falling down.

"Last week, it was reported that bird droppings had fallen through the roof on to sterile surgical instruments.

"My predecessor (Jo Churchill) was a strong advocate for the replacement of our hospital, and I will aim to continue her work."

Mr Prinsley said he would be keeping a close eye on Monday's statement and might say more after then.